John William Chinner

Captain, U. S. Marine Corps

Navy Cross

GENERAL ORDERS:
Authority: Board of Awards: Serial 152 (March 3, 1922)
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Sergeant John W. Chinner (MCSN: 567093), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as leader of a Machine Gun Section attached to Company C, First Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in the Republic of Korea on 9 March 1951. With his platoon assigned the mission of seizing a strategic hill position, together with the extremely precipitous ridges leading to it, Sergeant Chinner voluntarily advanced some fifty yards ahead of the lead elements to scout the hazardous terrain and, although exceptionally heavy hostile machine-gun, rifle, grenade and mortar fire forces the unit to move in single file, bravely exposed himself to the enemy while skillfully employing hand signals to direct the leading squad over the best route of approach. When hostile automatic-weapons and grenade fire from two well-concealed bunkers pinned down the platoon and its leading squad, he boldly climbed a sheer twenty-foot rock embankment directly below the enemy positions and, employing only a pistol and hand grenades, killed four of the enemy, thereby permitting his platoon to advance. Armed only with his pistol and captured grenades, Sergeant Chinner continued his lone assault in front of the platoon and, braving heavy hostile rifle and machine-gun fire from a ridge seventy-five yards to his right, brilliantly outflanked three enemy bunkers which were impeding the advance and killed five of the occupants, causing the hostile troops to abandon their positions. Operating ahead of the platoon throughout the entire action, he was the first man to reach the op of the company objective and, by his gallant fighting spirit and daring initiative, contributed directly to the success of his unit. His outstanding courage and steadfast devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon Sergeant Chinner and the United States Naval Service.